Ch. 301..310

Chapter 301

When Stanley Batton saw that it was a call from Henry Armstrong, he immediately hung up.

But Henry would not give up. He called Stanley yet again.

Only then did Stanley get up and walk over to the french window to pick up the call.

Outside, people were playing with fireworks. The sky became filled with colorful bursts of flames.

Xyla Quest could not resist walking closer and watching the fireworks outside, standing approximately two meters away from him.

"What's going on? Why did you hang up on me? Same old rule. We'll stay up all night playing mahjong. See you at the same place," Henry said.

"I'm not going," Stanley said without hesitation before looking at Xyla, who was next to him.

The exploding fireworks seemed like flowers blooming in her eyes. Xyla seemed in awe, almost like a child.

"No... But why? This is how we have been spending this day every year since we were eighteen. Why can't you come this year?" Henry clearly sounded upset.

"That's because there's someone with me this year..." He said softly as he looked at Xyla.

The loud fireworks prevented Xyla from hearing anything Stanley said.

Moreover, she did not even realize that Stanley was looking at her.

"Bring her with you. Sebastian Brenand is bringing Rachel Wood with him too," Henry said.

"She's tired," Stanley said.

"Wait a second... Are you prioritizing women over your friends?" Henry asked.

Stanley ignored him and hung up right away. He then walked over to Xyla and looked up at the fireworks outside. "Do you like these?"

"Yeah, I do..." Xyla said.

Stanley looked deeply at Xyla as he raised his hand to touch her head. However, when he was about to touch her hair, he stopped and pulled away.

Xyla smiled and turned to look at his handsome face. "Happy New Year, Five Batton."

"Happy New Year," he said warmly.

After that, the two turned to look at the night sky together.

At that moment, Josh Batton appeared on the television.

He was wearing a white tuxedo with a matching white shirt on the inside and a pair of white shoes. His hair was brushed back neatly, and he had on very light make-up. Right then, he was singing 'Loyalty to the Country' on a brightly lit stage.

He had a strong voice and an imposing manner about him. Hence, he was able to capture the essence of this song fully.

The audience clapped off stage as he sang.

When Xyla heard the performance, she excitedly returned to the couch and began to watch it seriously.

Soon enough, Stanley sat down next to her as he casually lit up a cigarette and began to smoke.

Once Josh reached the pivotal part of the song, he seemed even more glamorous. His hands were raised, and he exuded the confidence of a king.

Xyla truly did not expect him to sing this song this well.

Although the high notes in this song were challenging to hit, Josh could do so with just the right amount of intensity.

In fact, he did just as well as the original singer.

When he reached the high notes in the final phrase, Josh took his earpiece monitor off and looked up as he belted in the highest volume possible.

The live audience began to clap thunderously as soon as they heard his high note.

Under the lights, the veins on Josh's neck were apparent. Even so, he still seemed attractive.

Once Josh was done belting the high notes, he thrusted the microphone in his hand forward as he swung his head lightly before looking at the camera imposingly. It was a ridiculously cool move!

"He really is amazing... Oh my god... How could someone as perfect as he exist?" Xyla could not resist complimenting Josh after listening to his passionate performance. When Stanley heard this, his cold gaze landed upon Xyla's face.

 

Chapter 302

Chapter 302

"That's all he can do," Stanley Batton said.

"Not true. I've heard many people cover this song, but none of them has done a better job than Josh Batton. A voice like his and a face like that, what a joyful experience," Xyla Quest said admiringly.

She believed that Josh Batton would claim the first spot on the list of trending topics on the internet tonight.

Josh was able to deliver such a stunning performance with ease.

B Site, TikTok, and Kuaishou would surely be flooded with Josh's rendition of 'Loyalty to the Country'.

Stanley raised his brows slightly as he looked at the television.

"That's all he can do," he said with a gradually sunken facial expression.

At that moment, the host was inviting Josh over to interview him.

Xyla looked at the screen excitedly in anticipation of the interview, but Stanley silently switched the television off. Xyla frowned unhappily as soon as the screen went dark. "Five Batton, what are you doing? I'm still watching it." "It's time for bed. Don't we have to pay a New Year call next door tomorrow?" Stanley asked.

"I will sleep after watching this interview," Xyla said.

However, Stanley was bossy. He took the remote with him upstairs.

"Let's go to bed... Good girl..." He said.

Xyla Quest let out a long, sullen sigh before silently grabbing her phone and following him up the stairs. Usually, Stanley did not behave like this.

What was wrong with him today?

But it just so happened that she was feeling a little sleepy, and she was fine with sleeping at this hour.

Hence, she didn't say anything more.

Back in her room, just as Xyla had expected, #Josh Batton's Loyalty to the Country#' was the number one trending topic, with the word 'explosive' at the end of the title. She quickly clicked on the topic to check it out.

The page was filled with videos of Josh singing 'Loyalty to the Country' and various compliments from his fans.

"Ahh... How can my Josh be this good? I really don't know how good I have to be seen by him."

"Ahhhh... Looking at him like this, I'm already jealous of the woman he will love in the future. The person would be so lucky to be loved by him."

"Dear idol, take me! My idol is really the best person in the world. I wish I could marry him. Hmph..."

Xyla briefly read through the comments before putting her phone down and entering the bathroom to shower.

***

The next morning, Xyla and Stanley went next door together early in the morning to pay their New Year call.

Afterward, Xyla stayed with the Quest family to chat with Jeremy Quest.

On the other hand, Stanley Batton came up with a random excuse before driving Xyla's Maserati back to his castle-like villa in the suburbs.

When he walked through the door, everything in the house seemed jubilant.

There were red paper cuttings everywhere.

Sharon Lindt and Josh were sitting on the couch, watching a replay of the New Year's television program. They were chewing on melon seeds and seemed to be having a great time. The two had obviously just gotten up and hadn't cleaned up. Sharon was not wearing any make-up and only had a white silk housecoat on.

Josh, on the other hand, was wearing a dark green silk housecoat, and his hair was still a little damp.

When Josh saw Stanley entering the house, he immediately smiled warmly and said, "Brother... Happy New Year."

"Yeah," Stanley murmured in response before walking over to Josh. He sat down next to Josh and looked at Sharon. "Happy New Year, Mom.” Sharon Lindt smiled and nodded. "Well, my boy, let's hope for a good year for all of us."

"Now that the New Year's celebration is over, don't you think it's time to go home? Dad has called me more times than I can count," Stanley said.

Chapter 303

Chapter 303

"No, your father is well now and will be back home in a little while," Sharon Lindt said.

"You really are having a good time... Always leaving my dad behind at Grandpa's, free as a bird," Josh Batton said.

"Nothing will happen to him. Your grandfather is such a good doctor. Besides, it's not like I'm intentionally staying away from him. I have my problems to deal with here, don't I? Can't you see I'm trying to keep an eye on your big brother and Xyla Quest?" Sharon asked.

The smile on Josh's face disappeared at the mention of Xyla's name, and the light in his eyes faded.

The disappointed look on his face was so fleeting that no one noticed.

"I told you. You don't have to worry about my life," Stanley Batton said.

"Should I not worry just because you tell me not to? I am worried about you anyway. What can you do about it?" Sharon said.

Stanley pinched his nose bridge in frustration and didn't say anything.

After talking to Stanley, Sharon focused on Josh. "And you, Josh, when are you going to find a girl?"

Josh laughed and said, "I, for one, am in no hurry. Wait for another two years."

The girl he wanted to be with the most was not destined for him. Hence, there was no one else he wanted to fall in love with.

"At your age, it's the best time to fall in love. You get to date for a few years, get married, and have kids. Isn't that great?" Sharon said.

Sharon let out a long, frustrated sigh and added, "You look so good. Wouldn't it be a waste for you not to date around? With such a good-looking face, you still behave like a monk. What's the point?" Sharon added.

"I just recalled that there's something I need to attend to. I must get changed and leave. Big Brother, you can stay here and chat with Mom," Josh got up out of frustration and left.

Back in his room, the smile on Josh's face was completely gone.

The light in his eyes faded once again.

He squeezed his phone tightly and sat on the edge of his bed. Silently, he opened the photo album and found a picture of him with Xyla at Chanel's show. They seemed so perfect for each other.

Xyla looked very beautiful.

He couldn't help but reach out and touch her face. "What must I do to let go of you completely so that we can be good friends?"

For the first time in his life, Josh was in love with someone, but it was destined to end, bearing no fruit.

It was a terrible feeling.

***

Meanwhile, Tony Sullivan brought Bailey Ronson, Tom Sullivan, and Julian Sullivan with him to pay their New Year visit at the Quest family's place.

They were followed by a driver with numerous gifts in his hands.

Xyla was not surprised by their arrival. After the Sullivan family heard about the Dragon Group's plan to help the Quest family the other day, the Sullivan family would certainly not cut off ties with the Quest family this easily.

The Sullivan family was worried that, after the Quest family progressed quickly with the Dragon Group's help, the latter would refuse to help them.

Tom Sullivan kept his head down from the moment he walked through the door, making sure not to look at anybody.

Every few steps, he would pinch himself with his thumbs. It seemed as if he was trying to distract himself with the pain.

Xyla Quest could tell that he was trying not to look at the women around him, and he was trying to keep his attention away from women in general.

She felt sorry for him. It looked like his family was completely unaware of his situation. Just how long did he think he could keep it a secret? However, it also felt good to see him this miserable.

"Toot, toot-"

The Sullivan family had just walked up to them and, before they could speak, Jeremy Quest's phone began to ring.

It was a call from the prison.

He immediately picked up. Soon, a police officer's voice could be heard. "Hello, is this Mr. Quest? Your daughter, Emily Quest, is about to die."

Chapter 304

Chapter 304

May Conner was leaning against Jeremy Quest, and she could hear exactly what was said over the phone.

Her pupils instantly shrank, and tears rolled down her cheeks. She quickly grabbed Jeremy's phone and put it on loudspeaker.

"What did you just say? What do you mean, she's about to die? What have you done to my daughter?" May grew more and more agitated as she spoke, and her whole body was trembling toward the end of her sentence. The veins around her neck were apparent, and her face was flushed red.

She practically hissed when she ended her sentence.

Jeremy's eyes were filled with panic as he listened carefully.

The Sullivan family was stunned. None of them had expected to hear such news.

Xyla Quest was equally filled with shock, and her eyes were wide with disbelief.

"Here's what happened. Since a few days ago, she has been out of sorts, and the psychiatrist diagnosed her with severe depression. She's been in psychotherapy for the past two days, and there was always someone watching over her. But just before breakfast, she suddenly stabbed her carotid artery with a fork. She then screamed that she didn't want to live anymore and even refused to let us approach her, so our prison guards had no choice but to surround her and forcibly take her to the hospital. She's in critical condition right now, and if anything gets out of hand, she could die..." The man on the other end of the call said seriously.

At this moment, everyone couldn't believe their ears.

May was completely frozen on the couch. Panting, she grabbed at the couch cushions and held the phone tightly as she continued to scream into the phone. "Why didn't you tell us that my daughter was in such a state? And why didn't you look after her? If she dies, I want all of you buried with her!"

Jeremy's face was instantly drained of color.

Despite all the wrong things Emily Quest had done, she was still his daughter.

They were connected by blood, and at this point, how could he, as her father, be indifferent about the situation?

The only thing on his mind now was that his daughter was going to die, and what she did in the past no longer mattered.

Xyla was in deep shock for a long time. She could not return to her senses even after a long while.

"I'm sorry. It's our fault. We're at the municipal hospital," the police officer said.

May ended the call angrily and ran right out of the house like a mad person.

Jeremy followed her close behind.

Right after that, Bailey Ronson pushed Julian Sullivan in his wheelchair and quickly chased after Jeremy.

Tony Sullivan and Tom Sullivan, seeing that they had all left, followed along.

Although Tom didn't want to go with them, his parents seemed eager to go. Hence, he had no choice but to follow them.

Xyla put on her coat and went out with the group.

With something major like this happening, she was afraid that she would be criticized as Emily's sister if she didn't see Emily.

***

It wasn't long before they arrived outside the emergency room of the municipal hospital.

Six prison guards were sitting on the bench, and they immediately nodded politely when they saw the Quest family and the Sullivan family. Xyla was the only one who nodded in response, while the others didn't even glance at these correctional officers.

Emily was being resuscitated as everyone sat on the benches on both sides of the hallway.

After May sat down, she cuddled Jeremy as she cried unceasingly.

Jeremy's heart was already hurting. Watching May cry like this made it hurt even more. Soon, tears began to well up in his eyes, too.

Chapter 305

Chapter 305

The Sullivan family, though, was calm because Emily Quest's death had nothing to do with them.

None of them actually felt sad for her, but each had a gloomy expression on their face because it felt like the appropriate thing to do.

Xyla Quest sat silently in the corner the entire time, with no notable expression on her face.

Although she was shocked by what happened to Emily, she was in no way heartbroken.

The affection she had for her stepsister had long since faded.

All that remained in her heart was hatred, and even though this person was on the verge of death, she still couldn't let go of her grudges.

However, despite the dangerous situation Emily was in, Xyla felt certain that Emily would survive because evil people tended to live longer to bring chaos to this world.

"Jeremy, do you think Emily is going to be okay? If something happens to her, how am I supposed to live? I don't care, if Emily dies, I'll go with her," May said as tears streamed down her face.

Jeremy Quest held May close, whispering words of comfort into her ears as he did so.

The atmosphere in the hallway was depressing.

It felt as if the air had frozen into clumps.

***

About half an hour later, Emily's primary physician walked out.

As soon as he was out, he quickly walked over to Jeremy and May and pushed the mask under his chin. "After being resuscitated, she's safe now. Just make sure to look after her with care. Keep an eye on her wound, making sure never to wet it. That can lead to great complications if the wound gets infected," the doctor said.

May immediately sighed in relief. She then stood up excitedly, clutched the doctor's hand, and said, "Thank you, doctor!"

He smiled nonchalantly. "It's my job."

The doctor then looked at the correctional officers and said, "She must remain in the hospital and be looked after by someone. She needs to be completely out of the dangerous phase for the next three days before she can return to prison."

"Okay," one of the correctional officers said.

May Conner glanced coldly at the officer before looking into the emergency room.

Just as Emily was being wheeled out, everyone could see that her neck was wrapped in a layer of thick white gauze.

It had not been long since she was imprisoned, but she had already lost a great deal of weight.

At this moment, her face was so pale that she looked like a withered leaf dangling on the edge of a cliff.

May immediately dried her tears and rushed over to Emily to follow the paramedics as they moved her into the ward.

The others followed close behind.

After they arrived at the ward, the correctional officers stood by the door with serious faces. No one dared to relax in the slightest bit.

Soon, Emily was placed on a hospital bed and connected to an anti-inflammatory drip.

May sniffled and looked at everyone. "Well, everything is fine now. You can all go home. My husband and I will be here, and that'll be enough."

She then looked at Xyla with a kind face. "Oh Xyla, why don't you walk the others back? Aunty and your dad will be fine here."

Xyla did not find an excuse to disagree. Instead, she simply nodded.

When she unintentionally looked past Tom Sullivan, she noticed that he still had his head down and his hands hanging at his sides. He was constantly pinching the flesh on his hands. His face had turned red from holding in his breath. He was clearly suffering a great deal.

It seemed as if he might vomit any second now.

Chapter 306

Chapter 306

The Sullivan family left the ward with Xyla Quest after bidding farewell to Jeremy Quest.

As soon as he walked out of the ward, Tom Sullivan let out a long sigh. He quickly reached into his pocket for his car keys. "I'm going to go get the car now," he said with his head lowered. After that, he left without turning back.

Tom walked very quickly and did not even look up at anyone as he walked away.

Julian Sullivan silently leaned against his wheelchair as Bailey Ronson wheeled him along. He fixed his eyes upon Tom from behind and narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

However, after a second, he looked away and a gentle expression returned to his face.

***

When Xyla arrived home, Stanley Batton happened to be walking down the stairs and was looking at his phone with a concentrated expression on his face.

He was wearing a white knit shirt and brown slacks, an outfit that couldn't be simpler, but he made it seem unusually elegant and noble.

"I was just about to look for you next door. Why are you back here already?" Stanley approached Xyla when he saw her.

"Well... We're going to have to stay home for lunch today," Xyla said.

"What happened?" Stanley asked.

"Emily Quest was severely depressed, and she tried to commit suicide in prison. They have just resuscitated her. My father and May Conner are in the hospital with her," Xyla said blandly. When she was done speaking, she slouched against the couch.

Xyla couldn't feel happier just sitting on the couch like this, and she wished she could do this all day.

"Severely depressed? Does she have a history of depression?" Stanley asked as he looked deeply at Xyla and sat down next to her.

Xyla shook her head. "No, I guess it was spurred on by Tom Sullivan filing for divorce. Moreover, she had no freedom in prison. That must have all added up."

"Are you sure it wasn't an act?" Stanley had a cold look in his eyes.

"The diagnosis was made with the aid of instruments. Do you think anyone would be able to fool the doctors that way?" Xyla retorted.

"Yeah... Special agents could," Stanley said.

"As you said, only special agents could do that. Emily isn't a special agent, and she doesn't have skills like that. Besides, I've hired people to keep an eye on her in there, so there's no way she could pull any tricks," Xyla added.

Stanley remained silent as he lit a cigarette and took a puff at it.

"Five Batton," Xyla said.

"Yeah?" Stanley asked.

"Are we going out for lunch, or are we eating at home?" Xyla asked.

"You decide," he said.

"I want to eat at home. The ingredients in the fridge will go bad if we don't eat them soon, but I don't feel like moving. I'm so tired right now," Xyla said before exhaustedly touching her neck. "I'll cook then," Stanley said.

"Thank you for doing this even on New Year's Day," Xyla said with a smile.

"You're welcome," Stanley said.

Xyla's smile widened. She felt immensely happy.

For some reason, Xyla would feel unusually secure whenever she was with Stanley.

Everything felt peaceful because of him.

"What would you like to eat?" Stanley asked with a serious expression.

"Anything you like. I'm not picky," Xyla replied with a gentle smile.

Without saying anything, Stanley walked into the kitchen.

Right then, Xyla received a call from Georgie Clementine. It sounded very lively and festive on Georgie's end, exactly like how New Year's Day should be.

Chapter 307

Chapter 307

"Happy New Year, President Xyla," Georgie Clementine said.

"Happy New Year, Georgie," Xyla Quest replied.

"Apart from wishing you a Happy New Year, I also have good news for you. Do you remember Morty Wayne, the mixed-blood youth we spotted playing piano at the restaurant the other day?" Georgie asked. "Yeah, I remember him. Have you signed him on?" Xyla asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I went to his house early this morning to get him signed," Georgie said.

"Early this morning?" Although Xyla knew Georgie was a workaholic, she was not expecting her to go out and sign someone to their company this early in the morning.

"It's... It's because I received news that other companies are now contacting him too. He has so much potential. I can't let someone else claim him before we do. This year, it just so happens that my family is also here in Atlantis for the New Year celebrations. Since his family is also in Atlantis, I decided to head over directly. President Xyla, this isn't why I'm here today. More importantly, I need to talk to you about our company's trainee, Ernie West, whom we have originally selected to participate in 'Teenage Idol'. Last night, he was caught using drugs. Hence, I've decided to terminate his contract and replace him with someone else. A person like him should not stay in our company," Georgie added.

Ernie West was a very talented trainee. Xyla and Georgie had high hopes for him.

To their surprise, he had gotten into drugs and ruined his future. Xyla felt upset but sorry for him at the same time.

Xyla immediately frowned coldly. "Go ahead and terminate the contract," she said.

"Yeah... I have a bold idea. I'm not sure if you would agree to it," Georgie said.

"Tell me..." Xyla continued to listen intently.

"I plan to replace Ernie with Morty Wayne. I've seen videos of him singing and dancing on his social media account. His professionalism level is comparable to the trainees who have trained in our company for a long time. Didn't you think he was great too? Why don't we give him this opportunity?" Georgie asked.

"You can decide," Xyla said.

Since Georgie claimed that Morty was suitable for the talent show, that meant he was. Xyla believed in Georgie's opinion completely.

After they hung up, Xyla lay down lazily.

The warm light coming in through the french window shone on her face, making her feel even lazier.

Xyla stretched a little before she reached for a pillow, hugged it, and slowly closed her eyes.

***

In two hours, Stanley Batton had prepared a full table of food.

There were meat and vegetables of balanced nutrition, and the dishes' presentation was exquisite.

After everything was prepared, Stanley removed his black apron and returned to the living room.

At this moment, Xyla was curled up and asleep on the couch. Her face was turned toward the coffee table.

With a warm light against her face, Xyla seemed unusually gentle.

Stanley sat slowly next to where Xyla's head was. He lifted a hand to brush against her hair. His touch was so soft that it felt like he was stroking a cat. Although they were opposites in terms of their personality, nothing seemed out of place when they were together.

"Beep, beep, beep-"

Right then, Xyla's phone, which she had placed by her head, began to ring and vibrate. She immediately opened her eyes wide.

Meanwhile, Stanley quickly drew his hand away.

Gently, Xyla covered her mouth and yawned before sitting up and picking up the phone.

An unfamiliar number was displayed on the screen.

Xyla answered the call instantly.

"Is this Xyla?" A familiar voice softly filled her ears, bringing to her mind flashbacks of memories in the past.

Countless memories flooded her mind like a tsunami rushing over the land.

Chapter 308

Chapter 308

The voice belonged to Cindy Snyder, a girl who sat next to Xyla Quest when they were in their third year of high school.

"Cindy Snyder?" Xyla asked doubtfully. There was a look of disbelief in her eyes.

The two of them sat next to each other in their third year in high school. Back then, they were extremely good friends. After they graduated, Cindy had gone abroad to study, and they rarely spoke to each other since.

After Tom Sullivan betrayed Xyla, she had cut off all contact with her friends and family and gone to America alone. Ever since then, Xyla and Cindy had become completely out of touch.

"It's me... Xyla, do you remember me? I'm organizing a high school reunion in seven days at the Hilton Hotel. Will you come, please? I've done what I could on my own to invite all our classmates from Class A... If you don't show up, it won't be perfect." Cindy's voice was as gentle and pleasant as ever.

"Sure," Xyla agreed right away.

After they graduated from high school, Xyla's classmates had all gone their separate ways.

Xyla wanted to meet them and see how they were doing now. Indeed, she had fond memories of them studying hard together to prepare for the high school examinations.

"Okay... I'll send you the location and the exact time later. You must show up," Cindy said.

"Got it," Xyla said.

"I heard you got married. Since family members are allowed to come along to the gathering, bring your husband with you so we can get to know him," Cindy said. "Okay," Xyla said.

Xyla chatted with Cindy for a while before hanging up.

"Is dinner ready?" Xyla asked.

"Yeah," Stanley answered.

"Great! I'm starving," Xyla said and stood up joyfully. After stretching a little, Xyla went with Stanley to wash their hands before entering the dining room.

When Xyla saw the table full of delicious food, she could not resist raising her thumbs at Stanley.

"Not bad. Thank you for your hard work," Xyla said.

"As long as you like the food," Stanley said.

Xyla sat down and took a closer look at each dish. She liked all of them.

"Of course, I like them. These are all my favorite dishes. How could I not like them?" Xyla said.

Stanley did not say anything. He poured her a glass of red wine in silence.

“There's a reunion with my high school classmates in seven days. Can you come with me?" Xyla gently swirled the wine in the glass as she pressed onto its base with her right hand. "Sure," Stanley murmured.

***

Georgie Clementine was having lunch with her parents at her home when she got a call from Fred Thomson, a well-known director, inviting her out to discuss something.

Some days ago, she heard that Fred was preparing for a Qing dynasty drama based on a famous IP-type story. A well-known actor, Kenny Wonders, had been selected as the male lead. Most of the important supporting actors were veteran actors. However, the female lead was not selected yet.

Hence, Georgie took the initiative to recommend a few more capable female actresses from X Entertainment to him.

Now, Fred had taken the initiative to call Georgie. She figured he probably wanted to use one of the actresses she had recommended.

The script, being an adaptation of a famous IP-type story, certainly had its own fan base. On top of that, Kenny Wonders and many veteran actors were starring in the drama, which meant it would receive a lot of attention.

It was a drama that became popular before it was even filmed. If a female actress from X Entertainment could become the female lead, she would certainly become famous.

Fred had a very strong background. Many influential bosses in the entertainment industry treated him with great respect, and so did television stations.

Hence, if it were his drama, it would receive a high rating. Moreover, it would be aired during the prime time of winter and summer breaks

Chapter 309

Chapter 309

Georgie Clementine would never let the female actresses she managed miss such an opportunity.

Georgie agreed to Fred Thomson's invitation right away. After that, she quickly fixed her make-up and made her way to a café on the first floor of the Hilton Hotel, where Fred had suggested the meeting. At this time of the day, there weren't many people in the café. Only a few tables were occupied.

When Georgie arrived, Fred was already waiting for her at a table by the window.

Middle-aged, Fred was balding, and he seemed out of place compared to the young people around him.

When Fred saw Georgie, he waved at her enthusiastically.

Georgie waved enthusiastically in return before walking over and sat across from him. She was wearing over-the-knee boots.

"I wonder why Director Thomson has asked to meet me today?" Georgie cut to the chase.

"Naturally, it's about the casting of the female lead for my new drama series. Chief Clementine, I'm quite happy with the people you have recommended. I've decided to let them audition before I select the one am most happy with to be my female lead," he said.

Georgie was instantly delighted. "Really? That's great. Thanks, Director Thomson."

"Yes... But on one condition," Fred said.

"What is it?" Georgie asked.

"There's a child star in your company named Wendy Simpson, isn't there?" He asked.

"Yes," Georgie answered.

"I would like her to spend two days with me. I quite like the child," Fred said in a lowered voice. After that, he subconsciously looked around.

After making sure there was nobody around them, he seemed more relaxed.

Hearing that, Georgie instantly felt angry.

Georgie knew very well that none of the directors in the entertainment industry here were honest people, and she also knew very well that some of these people were very perverted.

She was told Fred was a good person. Although many young female actresses around the age of eighteen approached him, he never once set his sights on them.

The truth was he didn't like the young girls in their late teens. Instead, he liked young girls who were still kids.

Georgie remembered very clearly that when a case like this popped up on Weibo a year ago, Fred had called the b*stard out for doing such a shameful thing. He even urged the state to make punishments more severe for such crimes.

One really shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

"Let the child stay with me for two days. All female roles, including the lead and supporting roles, will be people from your company. What do you think? You won't lose a dime," Fred suggested cheerfully. He didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with what he just said.

From the way he spoke, Georgie knew that this was not the first time he had done something like this.

While Georgie remained silent and looked at Fred coldly, she became angrier on the inside as time passed.

Although she had witnessed countless immoral things happening in this industry, she still could not bring herself to work with such disgusting people and colleagues.

"Honestly, as of late, a lot of people are vying to be the female lead in my drama series. So, Chief Clementine, will you consider it?" Fred sounded oppressive.

To him, Georgie's silence was perceived as merely hesitation.

"She's only eight years old," Georgie said with a deep frown on her face. She was close to losing her temper.

"What's wrong with being eight? Isn't this normal? I've even f*cked a five-year-old before," Fred said nonchalantly before shrugging it off.

Nobody dared to mess with him in this circle. Hence, he wore his heart on his sleeve.

The more he behaved like this, the angrier Georgie felt. 'How could he do this to a five-year-old? This pervert!'

Chapter 310

Chapter 310

How could Fred Thomson do this to such a young girl?

The more Georgie Clementine thought about it, the more she felt disgusted. Her clenched fists began to tremble slightly under the table.

"I will not agree to this," Georgie said coldly as she pressed the record button on her phone.

Fred's facial expression instantly turned cold, and he began to scowl. "What? How dare you refuse? I'll make your company suffer. Do you think I'm not capable of that?"

Fred made sure his voice was as soft as possible, but he still sounded vicious.

"Director Fred Thomson, are you saying that if I don't send Wendy Simpson to sleep with you, you'll make our company suffer?" Georgie snorted coldly.

"Keep your voice down. And yes, you should know how influential I, Fred Thomson, am in the circle," Fred responded resolutely in a lowered voice.

"I know, but you should know that X Entertainment isn't that easy to mess with," Georgie said and snorted.

"What do you mean?" Fred asked.

Georgie didn't say anything. Instead, she silently backed her recording file and sent it to her many email inboxes.

She then gently placed her phone on the table and tapped her long, red nails on her red phone case. "I recorded it."

"You... What did you say? Georgie Clementine, how dare you?" Fred Thomson looked shocked.

"There are a lot more things I'm not afraid of doing. Would you like to try me? How about having your reputation ruined?" Georgie snorted coldly. "What do you mean?" Fred asked.

"It means you should be careful and not cause any trouble," Georgie said coldly before she picked up a glass of plain water and splashed it against his face without hesitation. The water was cold. After it splashed against Fred's face, he instantly sneezed from the chill.

Not only did Georgie's action successfully enrage Fred, but it also drew the attention of everyone in the café.

Although there weren't many people around, Fred still felt thoroughly humiliated.

He would never have expected Georgie to do such a thing.

Coincidentally, Henry Armstrong, Sebastian Brenand, and Rachel Wood walked into the café and witnessed what happened.

Henry paused in his tracks, and his dark eyes narrowed as he looked over excitedly in Georgie's direction.

In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think this woman was fascinating. Every time he saw her, she was doing something cool.

The first time he saw her, she was involved in a bar fight. This time, she was splashing water on someone in a café.

In fact, the man Georgie splashed water on had a very prominent background.

For some reason, he found this woman very cool. What was going on?

"What's the matter?" Sebastian asked as he stopped walking and glanced at Henry. Curiously, Sebastian followed Henry's gaze and looked over in Georgie's direction.

"D*mn. There's really nothing a man can do that a woman can't if she's capable. It's so cool," Sebastian said. He was stunned. His eyes widened as he looked in Georgie's direction. His arms wrapped around Rachel casually.

Henry smiled slightly before taking big strides to the table behind Georgie. He sat down, put one hand under his chin, and continued to watch the show with interest.

Sebastian and Rachel both sat across from him, and they were also looking in Georgie's direction.

"You... Georgie Clementine, are you mad? Believe it or not, I can cancel all the films your company's actors starred in, as well as the films your company has invested in, right away," Fred said through gritted teeth as he frantically used napkins to wipe the water off his face. He kept his voice lowered as he spoke.